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POPSJapan child robot mimicks infant learning
We are entering a new age of robotics. there is no doubt about that, at least in Japan. Robots integrated into everyday life is not only a technological feat but also a conceptual and social adaptation. In Japanese world view it is much easier to relate to robots as endowed with souls. This is fascinating, since it seems that we create our future technological world to reflect our beliefs and expectations. "Robots have hearts," said Kokoro planning department manager Yuko Yokota. "They don't look human unless we put souls in them. "When manufacturing a robot, there comes a moment when light flickers in its eyes. That's when we know our work is done." Public opinion in Japan may be more open to robots than in the West, where dark science fiction visions from movies such as "Bladerunner" and "Terminator" have conjured images of robo-soldiers taking over the world. Thanks to such benign cartoon characters as Astro Boy, "Japanese people have a friendly image towards robots
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POPSCrash Avoidance Robotic Car Inspired by Flight of the Bumblebee The LRF detects obstacles up to two meters away within a 180-degree radius in front of the BR23C, calculates the distance to them, and sends a signal to an on-board microprocessor, which is instantly translated into collision avoidance. "The split second it detects an obstacle, the car robot will mimic the movements of a bee and instantly change direction by turning its wheels at right angles or greater to avoid a collision," explained Toshiyuki Andou, Manager of Nissan's Mobility Laboratory and principal engineer of the robot car project. "The biggest difference to any current system is that the avoidance maneuver is totally instinctive. If that was not so, then the car robot would not be able to react fast enough to avoid obstacles," Andou said. "It must react instinctively and instantly because this technology corresponds to the most vulnerable and inner-most layer of our Safety Shield, a layer in which a crash is currently considered unavoidable," he added.
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POPSIn defence of plastic "New plastics that change from liquid to solid on impact are finding applications in protective clothing and plastic products are being developed using the principles of nature - an area of research called biomimetics. So plastic can be valuable and can be used for functions where it needs to last for a considerable length of time. Concepts of green design should now be applied to all new plastics products so that disposable items, such as plastic packaging and throwaway consumer items, biodegrade and do not fill landfill sites or litter the landscape or seas"
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POPSHomo roboticus How to build a brain From the start, the group knew that sensitivity, dexterity, and strength were not enough. They had to provide the biomimetic arm with a high degree of intelligence. Their ultimate goal is to create a microchip that will allow the arm to carry out tasks requiring human-level skills in a real-world setting. The researchers are currently using software to simulate important aspects of how the cerebellum processes and integrates information. “It’s the first neural-network-based controller that can control the dynamics of a robotic system in its full operational range,”
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